UCLA Basketball: The men’s team 2017-18 season preview

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SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 17: Gyorgy Goloman /

4. 2017-18 Schedule

The UCLA Basketball team is looking to build off their success in 2016-17. That will have to be done with another challenging schedule.

The Bruins have a few cupcakes, like most Power 5 teams, but it definitely gets tougher when they get into the thick of the schedule. Their first big challenge comes in the season opener in Shanghai, China. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets return their top three scorers from a team that went 21-16 last year, but should be an easy “W” for the Bruins.

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The Hall of Fame Classic poses the next big threat, but one that is manageable for UCLA. Creighton may need to use their speed this year as they only have three players taller than 6’10” and in the next round, they face Baylor or Wisconsin. Baylor lost their top scorer in Johnathan Motley (17.3 ppg) but return a good core that includes guard Manu Lecomte (12.2ppg 3.8 apg ) and 7’0” center Jo Acuil (9.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg). In last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Badgers made the East Regional Semis before losing by one point to Florida. This year’s team returns just one player who averaged double digits and just one senior.

Then next tough stretch comes toward the end of non-conference play against Michigan, Cincinnati and Kentucky, although the last two seem like the bigger threats. The Bruins will see a lot of familiar faces from the Cincinnati team they beat in the NCAA Tournament last year. The tough Bearcats’ defense should again rank near the top 10 in the nation. Then there is Kentucky, the team that gave the Bruins their walking papers n the 2017 NCAA Tournament. This will be the Bruins’ toughest test in the non-conference and a great opportunity to see where UCLA stands after playing a mostly soft schedule up to this point.

In Pac-12 play, the biggest threats remain Arizona, USC and Oregon (all three, along with UCLA, are expected to battle for the conference championship). It is a travesty that UCLA and Arizona only meet once in the regular season, though UCLA will have to play tough as this game is in Tucson.

Returning USC players Chimezie Metu, Jordan McLaughlin, and Elijah Stewart lead a Trojans team that was ousted in the second round of the NCAA Tourney last year. UCLA won two out of three versus SC last year but a big turnover on the Bruins’ roster could make for two tough regular season games.

Arizona is always tough, even after losing Lauri Markkanen and Kadeem Allen. Allonzo Trier returns along with the best recruiting class in the PAC-12. With only one matchup against the Bruins in the regular season, the game could be huge in determining the PAC-12 champion.

So yes, it is going to be a battle from start finish, which makes reaching the 31-win mark a bit tough to accomplish, but not impossible.

The Complete UCLA Basketball 2017-18 Schedule

Wed, Nov 1, vs Cal State LA, 7 p.m., Pac-12 Networks (exhibition)

Fri, Nov 10, vs Georgia Tech (in Shanghai), 8:30 p.m., ESPN (Pac-12 China game)

Wed, Nov 15, vs Central Arkansas, 8 p.m., Pac-12 Networks (Hall of Fame Classic)

Fri, Nov 17, vs South Carolina State, 6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks (Hall of Fame Classic)

Mon, Nov 20, vs Creighton (in Kansas City, MO), 4 p.m., ESPNU (Hall of Fame Classic)

Tue, Nov 21 vs. Baylor or Wisconsin (in Kansas City, MO), TBD, ESPN2 or ESPN3 (Hall of Fame Classic)

Sun, Nov 26, vs UC Irvine, 3 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Wed, Nov 29, vs CSU Bakersfield, 7 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Sun, Dec 3, vs Detroit Mercy, 6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Wed, Dec 6, vs Montana, 8 p.m., Pac-12 Networkds

Sat, Dec 9, at Michigan, 9 a.m., CBS

Sat, Dec 16, vs Cincinnati, 12:30 p.m., CBS

Tue, Dec 19, vs South Dakota, 8 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Sat, Dec 23, vs Kentucky (in New Orleans), 1 p.m., CBS (CBS Sports Classic)

Pac-12 schedule

Fri, Dec 29, vs Washington State, 8 p.m., ESPN2

Sun, Dec 31, 5 p.m., vs Washington, Pac-12 Networks

Thu, Jan 4, 7 p.m., at Stanford, 7 p.m., FS1

Sat, Jan 6, at California, 3:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Thu, Jan 11, vs Utah, 8 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2

Sat, Jan 13, vs Colorado, 7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Thu, Jan 18, at Oregon State, 8 p.m., FS1

Sat, Jan 20, 7 p.m., at Oregon, ESPN

Thu, Jan 25, vs California, 7:30 p.m., FS1

Sat, Jan 27, vs Stanford, 7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Sat, Feb 3, vs USC, TBD, ESPN or EPSN2

Thu, Feb 8, at Arizona, 7 p.m., ESPN

Sat, Feb 10, at Arizona State, 4 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Thu, Feb 15, vs Oregon State, 8 p.m., FS1

Sat, Feb 17, vs Oregon, 7:15 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2

Thu, Feb 22, at Utah, 6 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2

Sun, Feb 25, at Colorado, 1 p.m., ESPNU

Sat, Mar 3, at USC, 7:15 p.m., ESPN

Mar 7-10, Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament, Las Vegas, NV